Parky60 Loc: People's Republic of Illinois

There has been quite the brouhaha these past few days since women's basketball phenom Caitlin Clark was picked first in the WNBA draft, and it was announced that her annual salary for her rookie season would be $76,535. The shrieking harridans of the "G****R PAAAAAAAY GAP!!!!!!" squad were immediately deployed, and they haven't yet stopped shouting.

As it is with all loud l*****t outrages, facts, economics, and the general steely coldness of reality never enter into the conversation. Chief among those facts is that the $76,535 rookie salary is a set amount under the WNBA's salary structure and was known well ahead of time. The garment-renders who became aghast after the draft have been proclaiming not only their anger but their ignorance as well.

We all know that being ignorant and loud really isn't a drawback on the Left. It's actually kind of their thing.

The default position for the g****r pay gap crowd is to begin with an apples-and-oranges comparison of what men in similar positions make. These discussions on the Left are never allowed to introduce the wide variety of variables that influence the pay gap, of course.

Those who are shocked — SHOCKED, I tell you — by Clark's rookie salary immediately go to rookie salaries in the NBA. That's an economics discussion that is dead in the water before it even begins. As one blogger wrote:

That’s a shame, if it’s true, but it’s not the same thing as the pay differential between the NBA and WNBA. People pay to watch NBA players more than they do to watch WNBA players quite simply because the quality of play is higher and the games are more interesting. It is the free market, not institutionalized sexism or any other l*****t bogeyman, that has determined that the NBA’s number one draft pick can get a $55 million deal while his WNBA counterpart signs for only $338,000.

I would respectfully and strongly disagree with this blogger on one point: the NBA has sucked the life out of basketball. You might see a couple of "interesting" games during the finals, but the regular season games are a slog. His point about the economics is, of course, dead on.

There has been one notable voice not participating in the noise about Caitlin Clark's salary and that is Clark herself. There is a very good reason for that, which was also known well ahead of time.

The Washington Post:

Under the WNBA’s salary structure (via the database Spotrac), this year’s No. 1 pick will earn $76,535 (rising to $85,873 in 2026), a stark contrast to the NBA’s No. 1 draft pick, who will earn more than $10 million. At Iowa, Clark had college name, image and likeness (NIL) deals reportedly worth more than an estimated $3 million, according to ON3, and those deals, which will follow her to the WNBA, should be only the beginning given the record-breaking TV ratings her college games drew. Ticket prices for Fever games are already rising; Indianapolis’s Gainbridge Fieldhouse is less than 400 miles from Iowa’s Carver-Hawkeye Arena, where Clark played in front of sold-out home crowds that topped 15,000 fans during her last season.

Caitlin Clark is not only the greatest women's college basketball player in history, but she is also a proven and very lucrative brand. Later in the article, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert says that the NIL deals are "just called endorsements in the pros."

Clark has handled the heat of the spotlight exceedingly well. She's been able to perform at the highest level and not get distracted by the media circus around her. Barring injury, she'll be the greatest thing that ever happened to the WNBA. And I'm not one of those knee-jerk, "Women's sports are boring" guys. I'd much rather watch Caitlin Clark than most of the pampered headcases in the NBA. In fact, the late great John Wooden once said of women's basketball that it's "a more pure version of the sport."

The increased television exposure that Clark will bring to the WNBA will greatly increase her bank account via endorsements. She knows that.

That's why she's having a better week than the g****r pay gap howlers.

Please enjoy this highlight reel of Caitlin Clark making 3-pointers from pretty much wherever the heck she wants.

AuntiE Loc: 45th Least Free State

Caitlin Clark could give a master class in shooting to the NBA! She is a pure shooter!

NBA players break a foundational rule in shooting. 90% of them put the ball on the floor before taking their shot, leading to opportunities for a stolen ball. She does not.

Parky60 Loc: People's Republic of Illinois

You know Auntie, I've been thinking -- I know a dangerous endeavor -- back in the "old days" (2013-2018ish), people like you and I would post stories such as we post, serious and humorous, and the wonderful OPP people of back then would give mostly thoughtful comments on them and we'd have some constructive banter.

Nowadays, it seems that most threads are started just to get a negative reaction that almost immediately degrades into insults and worse.

What's changed? Are we missing people like Armegeddun, Old Roy, bahmer et,al.?

Comments?

AuntiE Loc: 45th Least Free State

Unfortunately, some of our more astute members, Old Roy, etc. have passed over. Others refuse to participate in non linked news threads. Some simply threw up their hands in disgust and left.

For the most part, I find several of the newer members to be aseptic, bombastic, full of rectitudinous and mostly post dreck. It is amusing they think so highly of themselves when they write no better than a public education elementary school pupil.

What is more amusing is when you post definitive evidence of their prevarications they deny the evidence and start tossing pejoratives.

In my 11 years here, there have been very very very few who would be unwelcome in my home; however, this year has seen the list grow.

Thus endth my diatribe on the topic. Be blessed!

Bassman65

I love the pure game the wnba and the college kids play, basketball is a team sport which the NBA has mostly forgotten. The old school classic series like the Celtics and Lakers games we will never see in the Men’s game again!

Lily

Absolutely. Did you hear prices for women’s tournament tickets went up 190%? The NCAA should give Caitlin a percentage!

Bassman65

I did,she is signing a big endorsement deal with Nike soon.

Rose42

Do you remember when the college game had the 4 corner stall? It was a good move to add the shot clock

wilpharm

salary not an issue...she will make a fortune on endorsements

pegw

I was shocked at how sexist Paraky's comments are. They look like stuff that was written in the 60's about women being inferior to men. I was shocked at how little Ms. Clark was getting as a salary in the WNBA. Then I heard last night she is going to sign a seven figure deal with Nike. Good for her! The greatest woman athlete in my lifetime.

Parky60 Loc: People's Republic of Illinois

I don't recall making any sexist comments... you on the other hand (see highlight above).

AuntiE Loc: 45th Least Free State

Before I began, my apologies for foul language.

In business, there is a saying that; one ah sh*t can erase a hundred atta boys. You just had an ah sh*t moment which erased your two good comments from yesterday.

Apparently, your research arrogance only goes so far. Had you decided to do research, inside of embarrassing yourself with an i***tic comment, you would have found the WNBA has a League Set Rookie salary scale, applicable to ALL rookie players.

Further, we do not care about your lifetime. The statement is Caitlin Clark is the greatest female athlete in the history of sports..

You need to contact me when you want to write compliments. You are weak in that area.

Rose42

IMO she’s the best female collegiate basketball player. It remains to be seen if that carries over to the WNBA which I hope it does.

I’d put Babe Didrikson Zaharias ahead of her as well as Wilma Rudolph. I’m biased because they are two of my favories.

AuntiE Loc: 45th Least Free State

Apparently tickets for WNBA for Indians are already selling bigly!

I’d put Babe Didrikson Zaharias ahead of her as well as Wilma Rudolph. I’m biased because they are two of my favories. [/quote]

I completely forgot about those two!

Rose42

Outstanding!



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